1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intermediate transfer member, an image-recording method, and an image-recording apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
With increasing diversity in information, a wider range of printed materials are being produced in smaller lots. In order to meet such market demands, ink jet printing methods are receiving attention as suitable techniques. However, ink jet printing methods sometimes cause particular deterioration of image quality. The following two phenomena can be responsible for the deterioration of image quality.
One phenomenon is bleeding. In bleeding, an ink directly applied to a print sheet having high surface flatness and smoothness using an ink jet device is insufficiently absorbed into the print sheet, and remaining adjacent ink droplets on the print sheet are combined together.
The other phenomenon is beading. In beading, an ink droplet on a print sheet is attracted by a subsequently applied ink droplet, thereby causing poor image formation or insufficient drying.
In addition to these phenomena, the deterioration of image quality may result from curling or cockling due to excessive absorption of ink liquid into a recording medium.
In order to avoid the deterioration of image quality, an intermediate transfer type image-recording method has been proposed. This image-recording method includes the following processes (1) to (3).
(1) A reaction liquid applying process: A reaction liquid that can increase the viscosity of a coloring material component of an ink is applied to an intermediate transfer member.
(2) An intermediate image forming process: The ink containing the coloring material component is applied with an ink jet device to the intermediate transfer member to which the reaction liquid has been applied, thereby forming an intermediate image.
(3) A transferring process: The intermediate image on the intermediate transfer member is transferred to a recording medium by pressure bonding.
An image-recording apparatus used in the image-recording method includes an intermediate transfer member for holding an intermediate image.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-182064 discloses an intermediate transfer member for use in a known intermediate transfer type image-recording method. The intermediate transfer member includes a rubber layer on a metallic drum substrate, and a surface layer member on the rubber layer. The material of the rubber layer may be selected from polyurethane, fluorinated elastomers, fluorinated rubbers, and silicone rubbers. The material of the surface layer member may be selected from sol-gels, Ceramer, and polyurethane. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-268802 discloses that when the application amount of reaction liquid per unit area is greater than or equal to the application amount of ink per unit area, high-quality images can be produced even in the case that a sink mark is formed by evaporation of the reaction liquid. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-370442 discloses that image quality and transferability can be improved when an intermediate transfer member has a surface roughness Ra in the range of 0.2 to 2.5 μm. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-280460 discloses an intermediate transfer member having a rough surface. Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-277715 discloses an intermediate transfer member having protrusions having a height of 5 μm or more on the surface thereof.